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How to book
Travel arrangements and Insurance
We do not arrange flights or travel insurance.
We can advise you on the best airports for your chosen location and aim to have
the latest information on who
to contact for good value airfares.
It is prudent to take out travel insurance
against cancellation of your holiday.
This can easily be arranged through a
travel agent, bank or post office.
Every year someone has to cancel.
The formalities
Security deposit
- You may be asked to pay a security deposit on
arrival. Cash, Travellers cheques or a Eurocheque will be acceptable as a rule.
Unless the deposit is needed to pay for breakages, heating or an unusual amount
of cleaning, this will be refunded when you leave.
Shopping and services
The pattern of the day is different in Italy.
Many shuts for a long
lunchtime.
Banks reopen for an hour in mid-afternoon, but many shops remain closed
until about 16.00 hours.
From then until 19.00 hours is the main time for food
shopping, and indeed for general shopping.
Mostly all shops are closed on
Sundays.
Many shops and petrol stations in rural areas do not accept credit
cards.
Living arrangements
A holiday in Italy may be different from one in other parts of Europe and there
are some
variations you should expect.
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Kettles, breadboards & toasters - These are not a part of Italian daily
life. Some houses do have cafetiŽres - we usually boil water in a saucepan, and
cut the bread on a chopping board.
-
Wine glasses - Are not in general use. Italians often use small tumblers
for wine.
-
Cleaning - We do ask you to leave the houses clean on your departure.
Particolary cooking must be arranged.
-
Telephones - These holiday house do not have their own phones.
Public telephones take telephone cards; many bars have a telephone kiosk with
a meter.
-
Heating - Heating costs are extra and are paid direct to the owner in
Euro.
-
Electricity and water - You will need an adaptor (BS1363) if you want to
use any British electrical appliances; electricity is all 220 volts. Water can
be in short supply if there is a drought so it is kind not to be too lavish
with it.
-
Gardens - Outdoor furniture is provided.
Gardens are left in a more 'natural' state than British ones. Please
do not take indoor furniture outside.
-
Linen - Household linen and towels are amply provided and changed weekly,
but please take with you any cot linen and bathing towels you may
need. Please do not use the house towels at the sea.
BOOKING CONDITIONS
Bookings and payment
To make a booking telephone, fax or e-mail us to confirm whether the property
is available when you want it.
You ca use the automatic booking page al the home menu.
We will hold the property for you while you
complete and return the booking form to us, together with a 50% deposit (or the
full amount of the rental if the booking is nine weeks ahead or less).
Payment can be made by credit card, bank transfer money.
We will then send you an appropriate receipt, a booking number and a password
to reach the reserved part of www.castiglioncello.kh7.it .
When we have received the full payment we will also send
you a house-guide and a turistic manual of Castiglioncello's Area.
This gives the address of the property, a telephone number -
in case of a delayed arrival - and directions for finding your way.
The house
guide also gives you information on local facilities and services.
Please read
the booking conditions carefully.
Once signed the booking form is a binding
document.
It is particularly important to keep to the numbers in the party as
previously agreed, and to observe the agreed times of arrival and departure.
1. Please contact us in the first instance to confirm availability. If you
would like to book the property we will hold it for you for 3/4 days.
2. A booking is made when the booking form is returned to Villa I Macchiaioli
with the payment then due (see clause 3).
3. A 50% deposit must be received with your booking form except when booking
less than 9 weeks before departure, in which case the full payment should be
made with the booking form. Full payment of the rental is due by the date shown
on your confirmation of booking, normally eight weeks before the letting begins.
4. When we receive the deposit, we send a receipt and confirm the booking. When
we receive the full amount we send another receipt, together with a house-guide
and directions on how to get to the property.
Payment
Methods of payment:
We accept payment by credit cards (Visa, EuroCard/MasterCard, American Express)
via
paypal
and by bank transfer. If you pay by bank transfer, please indicate your
name on all transfer documents. It is very important to send us the receipt of
the wire transfer (with your name, passport nr., complete address, telephone
and email address) by fax. We can only reserve the accommodation after we have
received this fax.
Occupancy
The number of persons in occupation must not exceed the number quoted on the
booking form. The owners of the properties or their representatives shall have
the right to require extra persons to leave.
Period of Lettings
Bookings are from Saturday to Saturday. Guests are asked to
arrive after 4 pm and before 6.30pm in order to take up occupation, and to
leave before 10 am on the last day. The property is prepared for the next
letting between 10 am and 4 pm on the day of the changeover. Guests who arrive
after 8 pm without having made any special arrangement in advance may not be
able to gain admittance until the following day.
Equipment and Services
Properties are let fully furnished and equipped. The kitchens have gas and
electric cooking facilities, refrigerator, sink with hot and cold water,
adequate cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery, glasses and other household
equipment to a reasonable standard for holiday use and suitable for the maximum
number the house is stated to sleep. Indoor furniture and household linen
should not be taken out of the proprety.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms have either a shower or a bathtub with hot and cold running water.
Bed-linen and bathroom towels are provided by the owner and included in the
price unless a surcharge payable locally is indicated in the price list.
Properties will be clean and in good order when the client takes up
occupation and should be left in the same state.
Cancellations
Cancellations must be made in writing. The following penalties will apply
according to the date that the letter of cancellation is received by the
owner: Traditional Tuscany:
More that 8 weeks before departure - the deposit;
Less than 8 weeks, but more than 4 weeks - 70% of the rental price; Less than 4
weeks - 100% of the rental price.
We reserve the right to cancel a booking and retain the deposit if the
balance of the rental is not received when it is due.
We also reserve the right to modify or cancel any booking up to four weeks
in advance of the rental date.
Wherever, owing to circumstances beyond our control, we cannot put the
house booked at the disposal of the client, we can cancel the booking with the
sole
obligation to reimburse the monies we have received.
Complaints
In the unlikely event that a client has any problems during their stay, the
matter must be reported to the property owner or their representative. If the
problem cannot be resolved with their assistance the client must, without
delay, contact us on the 24 hour emergency number given in the 'house guide'.
If you fail to notify the owner or us of any dissatisfaction during your
holiday, or abandon the property without our agreement, we cannot accept
liability for any complaints in retrospect. In the unlikely event that we have
been unable to resolve a problem to your satisfaction, upon your return from
holiday, you must write to us giving full details within 14 days.
Holiday Insurance
Personal Travel and Cancellation Insurance is essential and must be in
place before you travel. Please note that the use of the accommodation and the
facilities including the swimming pool is entirely at the user’s own risk.
Acceptance of Booking Conditions
The signing of the booking form implies that the client has understood
these booking conditions and accepts them without exception or reservation.Your
statutory rights are not affected.
Domestic animals
Bringing along domestic animals normally is permitted.
Disputes
Any interpretation of this Rental Agreement shall be settled by the local court
in the location of the rented holiday home, according to the Lugano Convention,
and be subject to the rules of Italian law.
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